


Through the Thunderstorm

by whiteleander



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Cute, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Romance, Thunderstorms, and that pleases me so much, bucky barnes is afraid of thunderstorms, bucky barnes listens to music, bucky is a reserved and shy cutie dumpling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-02
Updated: 2016-07-02
Packaged: 2018-07-19 17:31:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7371091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whiteleander/pseuds/whiteleander
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Reader gets woken up at night by a wild thunderstorm, and soon she finds out that she's actually not the only one having problems falling asleep while thunders are raging outside...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Through the Thunderstorm

**Author's Note:**

> Because I'm really fascinated with thunderstorms and also scared of them at the same time.
> 
> (Finishing this actually took me a week but I'm not complaining since how it eventually turned out pleases me very much, and it was worth the wait til I could write a proper ending to it.)
> 
> Also I swear I just have the coolest tags in my mind while writing/re-reading/editing but just forget 'em all by the time I get to post things on AO3. (My memory is bad, I know, I should probably eat some plums...)

Loud explosion tears into the silent night as you're suddenly dragged out of your dream. You've actually just fallen asleep an hour ago or so, but you get woken up by an approaching thunderstorm.

 

Sharp lights flashing frantically, you manage to swallow down the fear bubbling thickly in the pit of your stomach, and you get up to go to the windows and close them—it's just damn hot and you could hardly sleep but you don't want to risk the rain falling in or the windows getting broken by the wild and raging wind. You might be living in one of the most modern buildings in the world, but you still can close the windows yourself without the need of asking one of Stark’s robots to do so, right?

 

You go back to your bed after having the windows closed, mind still half asleep. Actually, you were having some weird dreams about Tony Stark almost running over you with one of his luxurious cars, and you'll sure confront him and tell him about this when he returns from his latest mission in a couple of days.

 

You're standing next to your bed, leaning down to adjust the sheets you messed up in your sleep. You grab your music player (blasting music is just essential for you to get through thunderstorms, you sure couldn't survive the night without music) when you can hear a faint shriek after another clanking boom splitted the sky outside.

 

There's only one person currently in the Avengers Tower beside you, and that's Bucky Barnes.

 

Without any second thoughts, you're on your way to his room, silently tiptoeing in the dark, and you knock on his door.

 

“Bucky, are you up?” It's just a stupid and ridiculous question, of course he's awake, because you can't not hear his gasping and how he's choking on air, but you don't want to just intrude in there when he's like this.

 

Waiting for any response or invitation, you almost go back to your room, thinking that he just wouldn't want any company while being in such state, but then you can hear light footsteps approaching and in the next second, the door flings open and he’s standing in front of you.

 

Your heart just sinks seeing him all sweaty, hair messed up and his face looks so tormented as lightning behind him lights up his figure and allows you to get a glimpse of him, you can feel salty teardrops forming in your eye. Bucky doesn't look straight into your eyes, steel blue orbs shining in the dark he's looking down and sideways, avoiding to meet your gaze.

 

“I can't sleep—” Another boom goes off outside, interrupting Bucky and making him flinch. All you can see is a scared and terrified puppy, afraid of thunder and you just need to do something for him.

 

“Neither can I,” you smile at him gently. “At least, not without this.” You show your music player (it's with you because you carry it everywhere for it's got a flashlight and everything that may come in handy) drawing Bucky's attention who's curiously looking at the piece of technology in your hand. Then he eventually looks up into your eyes, all confused and clueless, like an innocent child.

 

“What's this?” You smile widely, explaining: “My music player. Can't live without it — especially not in a weather like this.”

 

“I thought you loved storms…” A small joy quakes through your chest seeing that he remembers this tiny information about you.

 

“I do, but I just can't stand them at nights.” You shrug. “I know it's weird but it's just the way it is. I always hide under my blanket, even in sweltering heat, and I'm almost sick and drowning I'm sweating so much, but listening to music I can't hear thunders and it makes it easier to fall asleep.”

 

Bucky hums as he's thinking about what you've just said. “Maybe that could work for me too?”

 

You just nod in silence.

 

“But I don't know what songs should I listen to…” His confession eventually shatters your soul and smashes your insides. It's been almost a year since he got on the team, living with the Avengers. Still recovering he doesn't really go on missions so he happens to be in the Tower all alone most of the time.

 

All by himself, except for FRIDAY, but Bucky hardly ever speaks to anyone, especially not to an AI.

 

“You can just turn on the radio and start listening to a station for instance. Don't sweat on it, you'll know what you like and what you don't.” You suggest kindly. Bucky doesn't look confident hearing your answer, he just keeps eyeing your music player and you know what's about to come.

 

“Could you maybe—if you can't sleep either—just stay with me and show me some music?” His voice raspy and low, blinking at you shyly like a first grade schoolboy asking out his long time crush for the very first time.

 

How on Earth could you possibly say no to that? Someone must be the most cruel and heartless person to ever say no and decline anything from a lost and sad puppy like him.

 

So you just nod silently, saying “Hold on a second, I'll grab another earphones”, and you rush back to your room and get the accessory which enables you to plug in two earphones into your music player. You don't want to leave Bucky alone for too much time since the storm is getting freakier outside, so you're back with him in basically ten seconds.

 

“Which one do you want: black or blue?” You enquire, lifting up both of your earphones, although it's kind of useless, since it's still pitch black around you.

 

“Blue,” his reply comes. You were secretly hoping he'd pick that one because that's the one with better quality sound, and Bucky Barnes just deserves A+ earphones on his first time listening to music in basically seventy years.

 

Since he still forgot to invite you in, and you never wanted to enter his room without his permission, you’re just standing there in silence, Bucky eventually knitting his eyebrows in confusion.

 

“Umm, may I?” Thinking that it could eventually take eons until he figures out what he missed, you boldly take a step toward him, tilting your head inwards.

 

“Yeah, sure. Sorry, I—” He steps back to let you enter his room.

 

“It's okay, you don't have to explain yourself.” Passing by him as you're walking into his room his scent breaks into your nostrils, your eyes getting wide open at how _good_ he just smells.

 

Suddenly you're getting a little anxious for it's basically the first time you're in his room when you're all alone—not counting FRIDAY and Tony's little housekeeper robots—and your hands start shaking, small butterflies start buzzing around in your belly.

 

“Uhh, should we turn on the lights and sit somewhere or—”

 

“No lights.” You're actually amazed by his instant opposing, then he explains: “I've a splitting headache and it'd just hurt my eyes…”

 

“I'm sorry about your headache. Do you want Aspirin or something?”

 

“It doesn't work on me.”

 

“Ohh…” You really don't know what to do now, you've been expecting giving a causal music lesson to Bucky, but being with him _and_ doing things alright at the same time seems a little difficult now. “Well, music has many benefits, for example it can change our moods and even stop the pain, so…”

 

What’s more, music has the ability to repair brain damage as well as return lost memories, but you just cannot tell him that out loud, can you?

 

Battling your growing embarrassment (well, you sure wanted to help Bucky as much as you can, but you’ve never talked for so long before, and finally admitting yourself and realising that you're still kind of fond of him makes you be dying in his presence) you just unlock your music player and start browsing through your huge music library, hardcore brainstorming what you should play him first.

 

But to be honest, you're hands are sweating and you can hardly hold your music player and keep it from falling out of your palm.

 

“What should I pick for you…” You're thinking out loud, poking your tongue out and licking your lips in your dilemma, when Bucky speaks up.

 

“Shouldn't we…” Even if it's dark, you know what he's doing as his clothes are rustling in his movements as he's running his fingers through his hair, scratching his scalp as well. “Umm… go to bed or something?”

 

Steel blue eyes are shining up as he's looking at you shyly, his iris flickering so bright and so unique that you almost swallow your tongue, not to mention what he's just said.

 

“Ye—yeah, I suppose,” clearing your throat sounds louder than the storm outside. “If we wanna fall asleep tonight, yeah. Probably.”

 

You wish you were more confident and laid back around Bucky, but approaching his bed you almost trip over your own legs, causing him to step over to you in a nanosecond and catch you before you hit the ground.

 

“Thanks.”

 

“Don't mention it.”

 

Having his arms around you feels better than it actually should, and you realise just how hopeless you are. The worst of worsts is that Bucky's just so clueless about your growing feelings, he's so innocent and so pure that you're starting to feel bad and filthy.

 

Maybe you should just tell him not to hold you so close as he's leading you to his bed, because his body is against yours, pressed to each other like never before, and it's just killing you, but you just can't tell him to back off, can you? You’re just a little pervert, enjoying given circumstances so much.

 

_Maybe it's just the heat of the moment and I'm overreacting and I'm not actually falling for him, right?_

 

You hope that's just the case, for being romantically involved with your actual _colleague_ sounds pretty bad.

 

But here you are now, alone with Bucky, getting to lie down on his bed and just are about to listen to music together. Sounds about romantic?

 

“Put this in your ears,” you prompt him, handing over the blue earphones he requested. You put in your earphones too, both of you lying down on the bed. You still don't know what kind of music to play, but then you spot one of your playlists and just decide to go with that.

 

“I'm gonna show you my favourite playlist, so I'm kinda nervous now…” You giggle worriedly, still haven't started playing it then.

 

“What's a _playlist_?”

 

“Uhh…” Suddenly you feel really ancient, like you're trying to explain things to a small kid. “It's a collection of songs. I like to create every sorts of playlists, depending on my mood and so on.”

 

“Hmm… Do you have a _‘kicking the bad guys’ ass’_ playlist too?” His joke cracks you up and his eyes light up hearing you giggle so much.

 

“Actually, I don't. I don't really listen to music while being on a mission because it would only distract me, but I might just create such playlist for fun now.”

 

You thought curling up in a ball under your blanket and listening to music made it better to get through thunderstorms at nights, but actually having a conversation with Bucky is also a very much effective method, though.

 

 _The best_ , you dare say.

 

“Tell me if it's too loud or too quiet, or if you don't like the song for some reason.” You insist, heart actually stopping for a moment as you see Bucky showing a huge grin—maybe your concern amuses him?—eyes glistening like precious gems. “Ready?”

 

“Uh-huh.”

 

Your hand is shaking as you press play, then the well known melodies fill up your ears, coming into your brain and you instantly get soothed, eventually falling asleep by the second song, totally unaware that you somehow turned toward Bucky and you ended up snuggling as you drifted into a blissful sleep while he was still wide awake for hours, holding you close and listening to your favourite songs in awe.

  


You don't want to wake up in the morning, it doesn't matter how bright the sun is radiating, hurting your eyes as you still can see how it’s shining through your closed eyelids. You just don't want to wake up yet, hell no, when you're just having your sweetest dream being in Bucky's arms and all.

 

“This is so niceeeeeee,” you mumble on a sleepy voice while turning around. First you get suspicious because you hear someone giggle, the warm mattress and pillow actually shaking under you in the meantime.

 

_What's going on? An earthquake? Who let Daisy Johnson in here at such a goddamned early hour in the morning?_

 

But when you move your arm up you suddenly realise that it's not a mattress you're squeezing, or a pillow, it's a human; quite soft, yet still tough and muscular, and it suddenly hits you: you're most certainly lying on Bucky Barnes.

 

You open your eyes abruptly, and looking into his smiling blue ones and having his face so close to yours, you eventually get ridiculously terrified and embarrassed, and you just jump up so fast that you would've fallen off the bed if he hadn't caught you.

 

“Jeez, be careful…” He's laughing so hard, and you're partly offended because he's ridiculing you, but you're also just so overjoyed seeing him happy for once. “If you keep falling like that, I think I should stay by your side to catch you every time.”

 

“So funny…” You mutter a little grumpily, only making Bucky grin more as he lies back down.

 

Long seconds pass until you don't know what to say or do—most definitely you'd like to just lie back onto him, but you just cannot do that, right?—when Bucky speaks up finally.

 

“I'm actually glad you're finally awake because I wanted to ask you if you could send me all your music somehow. I liked the songs very much…”

 

And suddenly your smiling like crazy, being the most beautiful thing Bucky has ever seen upon waking up in the last seven decades.

 

“Uhh, yeah, sure, but it'd be easier if you registered on Spotify though…” Noticing his confusion and how his lips part, about to ask another question, you just prelude him, adding: “That’s a kind of online music player. You can access a lot of music and even save them on your music player or phone…”

 

“Then I could just save your playlist in one, right?”

 

You clam up; firstly because he's so clumsy with technology sometimes, yet his brain seems to be in fast mode of understanding things now, and secondly because that playlist is about him, actually. You were listening to all kinds of songs and you just started to put them together in a playlist you even named after him. Looks like you're still very much infatuated with him after all, doing all that.

 

“Yeah, sure… I'll help you with that, I just need to wake up and eat first.” You yawn, still sitting on the bed while he’s still on his back, his steel blue eyes glued to you.

 

“Umm, maybe—if you want—you can stay here with me for a few more minutes and we can listen to your playlist again…”

 

Your heart all palpitating, it's just an offer you can't decline, right? Even if you die in the process of being so close to Bucky once again.

 

“O—okay…” You try to reply like a proper human being, your short answer so dumb actually, but you didn't just jump on him at least. “Since the storm has passed we don't need earphones anymore and we can listen to music aloud if that's okay for you.”

 

And in a few moments, you're lying on his bed again, not exactly on him or in his arms this time though, but you're listening to music together, both on your back with your eyes closed and enjoying the moment while Bucky is staring at the ceiling with a satisfied smile resting in the corner of his mouth.

 

“It's like some of the lyrics speak to me on a cellular level,” he confesses after a few songs, actually making you all proud that you picked the right songs for him, “and it's just so…”

 

“ _Incredible_ , right?” His face lights up realising that you can actually understand him.

 

“Right,” having your eyes finally open and your head tilted sideways just to be able to look at him, you both are staring at each other, gazing into one another's eyes, and you're either delusional or you're certainly having a moment.

 

“Thank you for staying with me.” His deep, husky voice nothing but a whisper.

 

“You're very welcome,” you gasp, heart beating wildy as you're so close to each other.

 

Those steel blue oceans of endless skies just suck you in, making you completely mesmerised, it's like there's only the two of you in the world, nothing else. You can see how his eyes are fixated on your lips, blue orbs flickering with longing, and you start leaning closer and closer, until his mouth is pressed against yours.

 

First it's all innocent, your lips lightly touching as if Bucky’s not so sure what to do — at least you're hoping that he's only hesitant because he may be out of practice and not because he's suddenly having second thoughts about kissing _you_ — then he just goes for it, smashing your lips together more and more bravely, but it's still so innocent and sweet like little children's first kiss. He then eventually moves his right hand, trailing his palm up your upper arm and ends up tangling his fingers in your messy hair. You're also brave enough to start touching him, holding his face in your hand, fingers itching because of his stubble as you're gently caressing his jawline and chin and it's making him shiver.

 

“I'm sorry,” he pulls away, blushing a little and he seems so shy he can't look you in the eye.

 

“For what?” You ask gently, wearing a huge grin on your face, chest buzzing with happiness. You know you have to be patient with Bucky but you don't mind it all.

 

“That must've been pretty bad…” He finally looks at you, all embarassed and he just melts your heart right away.

 

“That's not the word I would use…” you giggle all enchanted.

 

Your answer makes Bucky all intrigued, watching you attentively, waiting for you to explicate but since you're not doing that, he insists “How would you describe it, then?” making you a little taken aback for you're just so bad at talking about your feelings, especially in face to face.

 

But knowing that it's just important to Bucky, and having him happy and his confidence back is important to you, you clear your throat and try to explain yourself anyway.

 

“Umm… Sweet. Magical. Out of this world…” You breathe sheepishly but all sincere and your choice of words actually makes Bucky all astonished and a little sceptical, so you dare to lean closer to him, and put a small kiss on his lips that are parted in his wonder. “Just perfect.”

 

The atmosphere changes as you're looking at each other's eyes so deeply, eyes flickering in admiration of one another, then Bucky puts his arms around you, pulling you closer and he kisses you much more boldly but he's still so charming and shy you cannot believe this is actually happening and he's really this sweet.

 

You start shifting, body getting a bit tired of lying sideways you lie down on your back, pulling Bucky with yourself and he's partly on top of you, having his weight on his metal arm he's just so careful and so concerned about hurting you that it makes your eyes a bit teary.

 

“Let's not rush this just now, okay?” He's begging on a low voice, asking for your agreement and you nod, looking at him lovingly.

 

His well-being and comfort is all that matters, and having these small moments with him just makes you happier than ever.

**Author's Note:**

> Oh and I really had that weird dream where Tony Stark almost ran over me. It was actually funny, lol.


End file.
